1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a package of containers that facilitates proper bar code scanning.
2. Description of Prior Art
Conventional container carriers are often used to unitize a plurality of similarly sized containers, such as cans, bottles, jars and boxes and/or similar containers. Flexible plastic ring carriers are one such conventional container carrier. Other conventional packaging materials include stretch wraps and shrink wraps and/or labels.
Such flexible plastic ring carriers for cans and bottles may or may not have labels printed on the carrier. Often it is desirable to add a Universal Product Code (UPC) or “bar code” (the terms “UPC” and “bar code” are used interchangeably herein) to the container to identify individual containers and the carrier to identify the multi-container package, or multi-package. Containers within the multi-package that are individually coded with the bar code enable a bar code scanner or reader (also used interchangeably herein) to read product information, such as price.
Flexible plastic ring carriers may be used to unitize groups of four, six, eight, twelve or other suitable groups of containers into a convenient multi-package. In such cases, it is preferable to block any bar code on the individual container. This will prevent the bar code for individual containers from being read in place of or in addition to the bar code for the multi-pack. When such containers are placed within a multi-package such as a “six pack,” difficulties may arise when container bar codes with individual container information are scanned instead of package bar codes with the information relevant to the multi-package or six pack.
Traditional multi-packages, such as six-packs, include containers that are positioned in random rotational orientations within the carrier. Each container generally includes an individual bar code which includes information, such as price, regarding the individual container. However, when the bar code for the individual container is scanned as the multi-package price, problems may arise for the vendor. Such problems primarily include a single container price being charged for a multi-container package and the inventory control problems that may result. For known stretch or shrink packaging, the bar code may be blocked by printing on the packaging material. Printing on prestretched or preshrunk materials requires careful design so the finished print appears normal.
As such, it is desirable to ensure that the correct bar code is scanned for the correct container and/or multi-package. More specifically, it may be desirable to block the bar codes of individual containers within a multi-package from the scanning process.